Belkin is voluntarily recalling its Portable Wireless Charger + Stand Special Edition that was sold in Apple retail stores and online on Apple and Belkin’s sites because of fire and shock safety hazards. No incidents or injuries have been connected to the charger, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, and the malfunction should only affect chargers sold between July 2020 and October 2020.
The wireless charging stand has a 10,000mAh power capacity and can charge at 10W speed for phones that support it, but an issue with the “power supply unit” could cause the device to overheat and leave it vulnerable to catching fire or shocking people. Belkin is advising anyone who’s purchased the device to stop using it and unplug it from power. The company will also issue refunds to anyone who owns an affected charger.
In the grand scheme of Apple’s iPhones, wireless charging has only been available since the 2017 launch of the iPhone 8 and iPhone X. Apple announced AirPower at the same event, a wireless charging mat that was supposed to charge multiple devices at once, but it was ultimately canceled because it didn’t meet Apple’s “high standards.” Rumors later pointed to issues with the device’s charging coils overheating as part of the motivation for Apple canceling. All of this to say, wireless charging is harder than it looks, and Belkin’s recall is yet another example of issues that can arise in a deceptively simple product.
If you own a charger affected by the recall, you can submit a form to request a refund on Belkin’s support site.
